The present invention relates to button securing devices and more particularly to one piece molded plastic devices of the type adapted for use in securing a button to fabric without sewing or using a needle and thread.
It has heretofore been proposed to provide one piece plastic button securing devices comprising a base portion having a locking slot and a filament portion joined to the base portion and adapted in sequence to be passed through a fabric to which a button is to be attached sufficient to position the base portion against the fabric, threaded through holes of the button, again passed through the fabric, but in a reverse direction, and finally secured within the locking slot of the base portion. Prior U.S. patents of interest relative to this type of button securing device include Nos. 3,349,447; 3,754,304; 3,785,009; 3,894,317 and 4,232,427. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,427 discloses alternative constructions, wherein a base portion may be fitted with either one or two filament portions, depending on the number of holes in the button to be secured. These prior patented constructions are believed to possess two main drawbacks, namely, the difficulty/inconvenience of again passing the filament portion through the fabric after its having been threaded through the button holes, and their inability to provide for a desired standoff distance or spacing between the button and the fabric unless the filament portion is threaded through a separately fabricated spacer ring or bead, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,754,304 and 4,232,427.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,312 discloses a button securing device, which overcomes the problem of providing for a desired standoff distance between a button and fabric without the need for a separately fabricated spacer ring or bead. However, in this patented device, the filament portion must still be passed back and forth through the fabric.